Astronaut Luca Parmitano is the new commander of the International Space Station. Parmitano, belonging to the European Space Agency (ESA), is the first Italian and the third European to assume this role. The handover ceremony with Russian commander Alexei Ovchinin took place in the orbital station with nine others Astronauts on board. "Thanks to Europe and Italy".
These are the words spoken by Luca Parmitano immediately after the handover. Originally from Paternò (Catania), 'AstroLuca ' as Parmitano is defined, he turned 43 on 27 September last. Together with Paolo Nespoli and Samantha Cristoforetti he is one of the most important Italian astronauts.
Luca Parmitano, the king of space
Not only commander of the International Space Station: Parmitano will also have command of one of the spacewalks he will face in November. "It is the first time that a non-American astronaut has taken on the role of leader of an extra-vehicular activity ”declared the head of the ESA exploration group, Bernardo Patti.
It is five o'clock spacewalks scheduled for October and the same number scheduled for November. “Of the latter - confirmed Patti - Luca Parmitano will face a very large part. It is a great honor for theItaly and the credit goes above all to the fact that Luca Parmitano manages to put together a great professionalism and a profound humanity in his work ".
Luca Parmitano and spacewalks
The spacewalks have both the objective of replacing the batteries along the pylons that make up the backbone of the Space Station, both to change the cooling system and take care of the maintenance of the expert AMS (Alpha magnetic spectrometer9), the hunter of dark matter and antimatter who has been working outside the Space Station since 2011.
Luca Parmitano receives the approval of the institutions
The Undersecretary of State to the Prime Minister Riccardo Fraccaro had a telephone conversation with the new commander of the International Space Station Luca Parmitano. It is the first institutional call of AstroLuca, after having assumed the leadership of the ISS. Fraccaro, who is in charge of space and aerospace policies, wanted to congratulate the astronaut on the important assignment obtained.
"It is the right recognition for the great professionalism and extraordinary skills that he has shown in recent years, managing to reach goals beyond all expectations.a ”remarked Fraccaro. Admiral Carlo Massagli, secretary of the inter-ministerial committee for space and aerospace policies, was also present at the meeting.
AstroLuca, Italian excellence
"The humility, the competence and the seriousness with which he faced this challenge are, and will be, teaching for all of us" said Admiral Massagli. "I am grateful to have been chosen as commander - Parmitano said - and I am grateful to my country because if I am here I owe it to all those who participated in my education".
Parmitano, added Fraccaro, “is a symbol of Italian excellence in the aerospace field, we aim to strengthen this position by investing more and more in the sector. My commitment will be to place aerospace policies high on the agenda of government in the coming years because they are the driving force for the development, innovation and competitiveness of the country. I firmly believe in aerospace research, this will be the great challenge of the near future ".
The Tricolor in space
The connection, which took place while AstroLuca was in orbit, was therefore an opportunity to take stock of the Italian role in the sector. Parmitano thanked the undersecretary, expressing satisfaction with the desire to increase investments in aerospace. "I really appreciate the support and closeness, Italy - said Parmitano - has immense potential in the aerospace sector and it is necessary to enhance our specificities by setting ever more ambitious goals.
We must also be protagonists of the next missions on the Luna and on Mars ". During the interview that lasted about twenty minutes, Fraccaro also congratulated Luca Parmitano for the leadership of the November spacewalk, recalling that the interministerial on aerospace in Seville will be held at the same time. "You from space and I from Earth will have the task of making the flag fly high!" Fraccaro exclaimed.
Italy and the space economy
“Luca Parmitano's assignment makes us really proud". Lorenzo Fioramonti, Minister for Education, thus applauded the prestigious assignment received from AstroLuca. "Italy - continued Fioramonti - is historically a leader in space both from the point of view of missions and from the point of view of aerospace research and this is one of the central points of the strategy of this new government which - the minister pointed out - wants to make the space economy the anchor of profoundly innovative industrial planning".
(Facebook photo Luca Parmitano)
